S'more Loving

Gather the sleeping bags, pillows and lanterns. It’s time for an in home camping trip. What better fun could there be than to relive some of your childhood memories and create a homemade tent from the kitchen chairs and extra-large blankets. While working together to build your shelter for the night, share some of your most cherished childhood memories and why they are important to you. After preparing your “shelter” for the night, it’s time to make your tin foil dinners. The possibilities are endless from Chicken Fajitas to Meatball Subs. While your dinner cooks in the “fire” aka as the oven, it’s time to create some fire of your own. Grab a pen and paper and write five words that describe what your attracted you to your spouse. This is a time to recall experiences and feelings that brought the two of you together.

What a better way to end the night than by roasting marshmallows for s’mores. The relationship of a husband and wife can be compared to the marshmallow. On the outside, the fire makes the marshmallow hard and sometimes burnt. When you push it down between two graham crackers, it allows the hard outside to crack and the gooey part of the marshmallow flows out. Parenting a special needs child feels like sometimes you’re the marshmallow in the fire. It starts out soft but as the heat penetrates the marshmallow it becomes hard. There will be times where one or both of the spouses will have experiences that cause them to feel overwhelmed or preoccupied. This can result in the lack of attention given to each other. Studies have shown the divorce rate when parenting special need kids to be as high as 70%. This statistic is discouraging particularly when you're in the heat of the fire and want desperately to find relief. It is times like this, couples need to find a way to break the barrier and focus on finding peace among each other. This isn't going to be an easy process but when the fire dies down, you will be able to look back and see how supporting each other allowed the gooey part of the marshmallow to seep out. 

At the end of the night, while snuggling in your makeshift tent, discuss ways to identify (individually and as a couple), what specific triggers begin to harden your “shells” and discuss ways to come together to keep your marriage gooey like the marshmallow center and find peace in what brought you together.

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”

-Henry Ford

Tin Foil Dinner Recipe Idea

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb hamburger
• 1/2 lb sausage
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 Tablespoon dehydrated onion
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• rolls

Instructions

1. Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil and lightly mist with non-stick spray.
2. Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Form into 1 inch balls (I use a small cookie scoop) rolling between your hands to form circles. Place onto your prepared tray.
3. Broil until your meatballs are just lightly browned.
4. AT HOME COOKING: Place your meatballs in a saucepan. Cover with your favorite spaghetti sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Place onto the rolls and enjoy.
5. IF FREEZING FOR LATER USE: Remove from the oven and when your tray has cooled place in the freezer for twenty minutes. Place your meatballs in a freezer bag and store.
6. CAMPING: Create four rectangles of heavy duty foil. Fold up the sides creating a 1 inch rim. Spray your containers with cooking spray and add a bit of sauce to each. Top with your meatballs. Fold up the sides to create your packet. Place your packets onto prepared coals. Cook for 30 minutes making sure to turn a few times.

(Courtesy of: One Sweet Appetite)